TTCN-3

Testing and Test Control Notation (TTCN) is a standardized language used to write detailed test specifications. The latest version, TTCN-3, is developed and maintained by ETSI technical committee Methods for Testing and Specification (MTS) as the ES 201 873 series and by the ITU-T as ITU Recommendation Z.140 series.

At ETSI, TTCN-3 has been used for the development of conformance test implementation in a range of applications including:

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for Voice over IP (VoIP)

IPv6

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR)

HiperMAN / WiMax

3GPPTM IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)

Although primarily used in telecommunications, TTCN is well accepted by industry and its use has spread into new domains including automotive, railway and financial applications.

TTCN-3

TTCN-3 has retained and improved much of the well-proven testing-specific capabilities of earlier versions. With its new syntax, TTCN-3 has the look and feel of a modern programming language. This general purpose, flexible and user friendly test language is easy to learn, use and implement with.

The TTCN-3 standard includes several presentation formats:

a text-based Core Language (ES 201 873-1) for use in a conventional programming environment which serves as the basis for all formats

There are also hooks in the language that facilitate the development of proprietary, non-standardized presentation formats if required.

The TTCN-3 website gives further information on TTCN-3, including background, tutorials, pointers to tools, the mailing list and upcoming TTCN-3 related events.

Advantages of TTCN-3

TTCN-3 is easy to learn as it has the look and feel of a regular programming language and tutorials, courses, and other publications are available.

TTCN-3 is different from conventional programming or scripting languages as it has been specifically designed for testing, it is internationally standardized and off-the-shelf tools and test systems are readily available.

It is a flexible testing technology as the language is completely independent of the implementation technology or operating system of the System Under Test.

There are virtually no limits to adapt tests or a test system to the needs: it is scalable, test components can be used both to test or emulate interfaces, it is extensible and has multiple presentation formats.

TTCN-3 has passed the test of time: the first standards were published in 2000, their concepts were based on TTCN-2, which had been applied in commercial testing for over a decade, it has since been used successfully in the certification of new technologies.

TTCN-3 application areas

Typical areas of application for TTCN-3 are protocols, services, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and software modules. However it is not restricted to conformance testing and can be used in areas such as: